Didn't he have a huge growth spurt the year before he was drafted? I seem to remember that he played guard most of his teenage years because he was short and he grew 4-5" when he entered college. Maybe his mindset has not caught up with his physical size.

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That could explain a lot. It takes a few years for someone who has grown quickly just to figure out where their hands and feet are. And that kind of difficulty is multiplied a lot trying to play at this level.

Guys, he's a very willing rebounder. He doesn't play with a soft mindset at all. Now, that said, he's not strong enough yet to hold his position well enough to be a consistently good rebounder. (That will happen within the next 2-3 years.) And he's significantly stronger this season compared to last season - so the kid does the work to improve.

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I don't think KGREG is talking about his rebounding. It's more of his unwillingness to shoot over other (shorter) players.

"Having the ability to go to (point guard) after being a scorer for many years is a comfortable thing. It could prolong my career and I have no problem with it. I like the way the team runs when I have the ball." --Tracy McGrady

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"Don't leave me in the fourth because I'm going for the dagger threes. I'm trying to find the line and take some air out of the arena."-- Pistons forward Austin Daye

BTW, good call on Tay - he really is a great finisher; one of the best in the NBA at that.

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Love your optimism and I think it is a nice balance on this forum, but I can't agree with this. I'd take

Blake, Evans, Curry, Rubio, Jrue Holdiay, and Taj Gibson are better players now and probably in the future. Then you look in the 2nd round and I would take Blair and JJ before Austin.

I still think Daye will be solid, I just don't know if he will be better than a spot up shooter - a useful and desired skill - but not lottery material.

I still don't know how Dumars passed on Blair three times when at the very east he would have been an immediate upgrade over Maxiel (who can't rebound). An upgrade over a guy that Dumars believed could be a starter on this team.

I still don't know how Dumars passed on Blair three times when at the very east he would have been an immediate upgrade over Maxiel (who can't rebound). An upgrade over a guy that Dumars believed could be a starter on this team.

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I think it was pretty easy to see. First, Joe had just signed Max to a five mil a year contract, so clearly Joe thought when Sheed left, Max would be able to step in and perform. Secondly, Joe had just signed CV to play the four, and hopefully replace Sheed as well. Third, Blair has had some questions about the health of his knees. I was a big Blair supporter coming out of college, and I agree with you it's odd Joe passed on him, but I just think these are valid points.

I don't think KGREG is talking about his rebounding. It's more of his unwillingness to shoot over other (shorter) players.

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Its really a general reluctance to shoot if anyone is coming out at him. Quite understandable to be unselfish if your coach just sat you down and quit playing you right after making 10 straight triple tries. I'd be shy to shoot too. Of course, hopefully Kuester won't repeat this non-sense.

If you recall, Memo was reluctant to shoot over shorter players - nothing to do with ability - just took Larry Brown to tear him a new one and make him understand that if they send shortness out on you, shoot over it.

I don't think that Austin will make any all-defensive teams during his career. He'll be a nice shooting "big SF" with an overall soft game. Don't get me wrong, I think he'll be very useful as a solid rotation guy. His rebounding will continue to improve but he isn't gonna lock any body down on D.

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Best perception so far.

One dimensional. We have another one of those on this club. Face-up shooter. Shows no lateral movement. Does not display quick reactions and rarely displaces any form for athletic patterns as he moves toward the basket in traffic (which is rare). All this and he had his father's knowledge base to work from in the finer points of the game. Now if he wants to work to be a nimble four, then fine, he might have a future as a starter for a playoff team. I don't see a burning desire to be a work horse down low. Austin and CV would be wasting each others time in comparing bruises from the night's battle from taken down low.

In this game you saw two spots up facing-off from one another: Anderson and Daye. Overall I would take Anderson. Then again, the way JD picks and develops positions, it might be best to stay with Tay.

One dimensional. We have another one of those on this club. Face-up shooter. Shows no lateral movement. Does not display quick reactions and rarely displaces any form for athletic patterns as he moves toward the basket in traffic (which is rare). All this and he had his father's knowledge base to work from in the finer points of the game. Now if he wants to work to be a nimble four, then fine, he might have a future as a starter for a playoff team. I don't see a burning desire to be a work horse down low. Austin and CV would be wasting each others time in comparing bruises from the night's battle from taken down low.

In this game you saw two spots up facing-off from one another: Anderson and Daye. Overall I would take Anderson. Then again, the way JD picks and develops positions, it might be best to stay with Tay.

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I'll take Daye from what I saw of Anderson in this game. I don't recall Anderson playing whirlwind defense out on the perimeter stopping anybody out there from getting a shot off cleanly.

So much for this "matchup between shooters." Yes, Anderson scored a bunch of points. Specifically, he got 4 meaningless free throws right at the end of the game that meant zilch. He shot 4-10 on 3's. Quite good, but not the cats meow. The idea that it was somehow Daye's fault? Ludicrous. The guy missed four shots from beyond the 3 point line in the first half - and made one 3 pointer at the 3 point line in his first 5 3 point attempts. His last 3 pointer in the half was from 4 feet past the 3 point line. (27 feet.) You going to blame Daye for not going out to the guy at 27 feet when he had missed 4 at that range already?

In the 2nd half, the guy stepped all the way out to 28 feet to make a three pointer, and got one more 3 in before the game was out of reach for his team.

So I guess you could fault Daye on one 3 made by Anderson - if you could prove that with all of TMAC, Daye, and Tay out there it was Daye's particular responsibility on that one shot to get to Anderson.

Meanwhile, regardless of the Anderson / Daye matchup, what Daye was doing for 35 minutes, against the hottest team in the league, was stopping their perimeter shooters from getting a shot off. Excellent defense by Daye. No way we win this one without his defense - or without his ice cold daggers late in the 4th. Also known as crunch time.

I'll take Daye from what I saw of Anderson in this game. I don't recall Anderson playing whirlwind defense out on the perimeter stopping anybody out there from getting a shot off cleanly.

So much for this "matchup between shooters." Yes, Anderson scored a bunch of points. Specifically, he got 4 meaningless free throws right at the end of the game that meant zilch. He shot 4-10 on 3's. Quite good, but not the cats meow. The idea that it was somehow Daye's fault? Ludicrous. The guy missed four shots from beyond the 3 point line in the first half - and made one 3 pointer at the 3 point line in his first 5 3 point attempts. His last 3 pointer in the half was from 4 feet past the 3 point line. (27 feet.) You going to blame Daye for not going out to the guy at 27 feet when he had missed 4 at that range already?

In the 2nd half, the guy stepped all the way out to 28 feet to make a three pointer, and got one more 3 in before the game was out of reach for his team.

So I guess you could fault Daye on one 3 made by Anderson - if you could prove that with all of TMAC, Daye, and Tay out there it was Daye's particular responsibility on that one shot to get to Anderson.

Meanwhile, regardless of the Anderson / Daye matchup, what Daye was doing for 35 minutes, against the hottest team in the league, was stopping their perimeter shooters from getting a shot off. Excellent defense by Daye. No way we win this one without his defense - or without his ice cold daggers late in the 4th. Also known as crunch time.

When I got out of High School I was 5/11 and .5 - 150 lb. The thought of putting 25 lb of muscle on was forboding. The food and weight training would've required a sporting scholarship. For a short time in my 40s I was 175 lb. Then quickly balloned to 200. Now I'm 215 and about 30 lb over weight. - Now if I was 6'11 and 200 ! 230 must look like 5 years down the line. Doesn't Tay look like he always has ? [Not doubting his strenght though]

That could explain a lot. It takes a few years for someone who has grown quickly just to figure out where their hands and feet are. And that kind of difficulty is multiplied a lot trying to play at this level.

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Sorta-like Larry Bird, huh? Seriously, if there is one sport that nourishes the growth factor it is basketball. Beginning at age three there is the accomplishment of running forward with some object in hand. If the father was a professional basketball player, then it usually begins in the womb.

The younger the age, the more miniature the object and surroundings, but the response level is still the manipulation and resulting feel (tactile) according to a certain distance factor. Speed of an object can be a deciding factor for eventual (and maturation) coordination, but basketball players can accelerate at a faster pace.

If you read my writeups, you already know I loved those shots by Daye. But, I am also very pleased with Kuester for having the wisdom to keep this talented guy in the game. (More Kudos for trusting Monroe late - man, just beat the hottest team in the league - with 3 players out there quite young in Stuckey, Daye, and Monroe - with the other two guys - believe it or not - still young too. TMAC missed a couple of seasons, so you just might as well think of him as not even 30 in NBA terms.

After we win it all this year, lets hope both Tay and TMAC resign with the Pistons for reasonable terms. (Something that makes the ticket prices for us fans as little as possible.) Tay being the fifth guy - who is rejuvenated this year by one thing - having a quality guy like Daye to back him up and take off some of the load.

After we win it all this year, lets hope both Tay and TMAC resign with the Pistons for reasonable terms. (Something that makes the ticket prices for us fans as little as possible.) Tay being the fifth guy - who is rejuvenated this year by one thing - having a quality guy like Daye to back him up and take off some of the load.

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Many casinos are giving the Pistons 350-to-1 odds of winning the 2011 NBA title right now.

If you put $100 on them, you could turn that into $35,000 (get a new car, pay off your house, pay your kids college tuition, etc.).

He got some Kudos, vs. a sorry team - for one half of play. Thats something. And unfortunately, Kuester only needs one piece of evidence to go his way, against a 100 pieces of evidence that speaks against his way, to go his way.